New vet rules: prescription fees capped and clearer prices for pet owners

If you’ve ever left the vet wondering how the bill became quite so expensive, new rules should make it easier to understand what you’re paying for, and give you more opportunity to shop around.

The Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) has introduced legally binding changes to the UK veterinary market following a lengthy investigation into pricing and competition. The reforms include a cap on written prescription fees, clearer price lists, written estimates for expensive treatment and better information about who actually owns your veterinary practice.

The changes won’t all happen immediately. Larger veterinary businesses have several months to comply with different parts of the rules, while smaller practices have up to 12 months for some requirements. But over the coming year, you should start getting much more information before agreeing to treatment or buying medication.

Why are the rules changing?

Vet bills have become an increasing concern for pet owners. The CMA began investigating the veterinary market in 2023 and concluded that a lack of clear information about prices and ownership was weakening competition and making it harder for you to make informed choices.

It also found a huge variation in prescription charges. While some practices charged around £10 for a written prescription, significant numbers charged more than £30, with some charging considerably more. That matters because getting a written prescription allows you to buy your pet’s medication somewhere other than your vet,  including from a registered online pharmacy, where the same medicine can sometimes cost substantially less.

Vet prescription fees will be capped

One of the biggest changes is a new maximum charge for written prescriptions. Once the cap applies to your practice, your vet will be able to charge a maximum of £21 for the first medicine prescribed during a consultation and £12.50 for each additional medicine that requires a written prescription during the same consultation. These amounts include VAT and will be adjusted annually for inflation.

Remember that this is the fee for issuing the prescription, not the price of the medicine itself.

Your vet will also have to make you aware that you can ask for a written prescription and buy your medication elsewhere. Where appropriate, you should be told that the medicine may be available more cheaply from another supplier. This could be particularly useful if your pet needs medication regularly. Rather than automatically buying it from your vet, you can ask how much the medicine will cost through the practice, request a written prescription and compare the price elsewhere.

There are now UK comparison services that can help you shop around. Sites such as Petfair, VetCost and PetBillCheck let you search for pet medicines and compare prices from online pharmacies. You can also compare prices directly with individual registered online pharmacies.

Make sure you’re comparing exactly the same medicine, strength and quantity, and check that any online retailer you use is properly registered to sell veterinary medicines. Most importantly, compare the total cost. Factor in your vet’s prescription fee, the price of the medicine and any delivery charges before deciding whether buying elsewhere will actually save you money.

You’ll get clearer prices before treatment

It can be difficult to compare veterinary practices when you don’t know what they’ll charge until your pet needs treatment. The new rules are designed to change that, practices will have to publish prices for a range of common services, making it easier for you to see what things such as consultations and routine procedures are likely to cost.

You’ll also get greater clarity when your pet needs more expensive treatment. Where a recommended course of treatment is reasonably expected to cost £500 or more, your vet will have to give you a written estimate in advance, except in emergencies. You’ll also be entitled to an itemised bill.

That should give you a better opportunity to ask questions before committing to treatment. If you’re given an estimate, don’t be afraid to ask exactly what it includes. Check whether follow-up appointments, medication, tests, anaesthetic or aftercare could add to the final cost.

You’ll know who owns your vet

The name above the door doesn’t necessarily tell you who owns your veterinary practice. Large corporate groups now own a significant proportion of UK practices, and the CMA found that many customers using a group-owned practice didn’t realise it was part of a larger chain, under the reforms, practices will have to make their ownership clearer.

This information, alongside pricing information, will also become available through an expanded Find a Vet service operated by the Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons (RCVS), helping you compare your options more easily.

When do the new rules take effect?

The CMA’s Veterinary Services Market Investigation Order became legally binding on 22 September 2026, but that doesn’t mean every vet has to make every change immediately.

Different deadlines apply depending on the requirement and the size of the veterinary business. For example, larger businesses must comply with the prescription fee cap by March 2027, while smaller businesses have until September 2027. Other measures will be introduced at different points during that period.

So don’t assume your vet is breaking the rules if you don’t see all the changes straight away.

How you can keep your vet bills under control

The new rules should make it easier to compare costs, but you can already ask more questions about the price of your pet’s care. Before agreeing to non-emergency treatment, ask what it’s likely to cost and what is included. If your pet needs medication, ask how much your vet charges and whether getting a written prescription to buy it elsewhere could save you money.

For ongoing medication in particular, a relatively small difference in price can add up over months or years. You can also ask whether there are alternative treatment options and what they cost. Your decision should ultimately be based on what’s appropriate for your pet, but clearer information means you can discuss both treatment and cost with your vet rather than facing an unexpected bill afterwards.

What if you have a problem with your vet bill?

Start by raising the issue directly with the veterinary practice. Ask for an itemised bill if you’re unclear about what you’ve been charged for and explain exactly what you believe has gone wrong. Keep copies of estimates, invoices, emails and any other information you’ve been given.

If the practice can’t resolve your complaint, you may be able to take it to the Veterinary Client Mediation Service (VCMS). This is a free, independent mediation service that can help with disputes over fees, quality of service and alleged negligence. Both you and the veterinary practice need to agree to take part.

The Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons (RCVS) regulates vets and veterinary nurses, but it doesn’t generally deal with complaints simply because you think a bill is too high. You can raise a concern with the RCVS where there may have been serious professional misconduct, such as a serious breach of professional standards, fraud or dishonesty. The RCVS can take disciplinary action, but it can’t order a practice to refund you or pay compensation.

If you’re disputing whether you should have to pay a bill and you can’t reach an agreement, the dispute may ultimately need to be resolved through the civil courts.

You can use Resolver to organise your complaint, keep your evidence together and manage your communications in one place.

More transparency and choice

The changes won’t necessarily make veterinary treatment cheaper, and they won’t mean every practice charges the same amount, but what they should do is give you more information and more choice.

You’ll be able to see prices more easily, understand who owns your practice, get greater clarity before expensive treatment and consider buying medication elsewhere without a high prescription fee wiping out the savings. When you’re making decisions about your pet’s care, knowing what you’re agreeing to, and what it will cost, should help you make a more informed choice.

If you have any thoughts on this topic, or any other consumer issues you would like us to cover, feel free to get in touch with us at support@resolver.co.uk 

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